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The song came to a close and there was polite clapping as Mayhem took a step back from Sivan. She gave him a smile he definitely didn’t deserve before she inclined her head. Then she was strolling across the dance floor toward me.
A definite sway to her hips drew the attention of more than just the asshole she’d been dancing with, and as attractive as she was, I watched the people around her until she was back in my orbit.
Her gaze flicked from me to King then back. The question was clear. What did I want to do?
I handed her the wine. “Shall we walk? You mentioned something about the new arrivals…”
“Oh,” she said with a soft laugh. “I did.” She accepted the glass then nodded to King. “Mr. King.”
“Miss Benedict.”
I put a hand against Mayhem’s lower back.
“Son.”
I ignored him, focusing on maneuvering Mayhem through the others at this vapid party and into one of the wings of the museum. There we could take a break from the crowd and maybe I could persuade her to go.
“You’re not going to like this,” Mayhem said softly. “And I am sorry, I’ll explain more later.” Then with that as her warning, she pivoted and tossed her drink in my face.
The act caught a great deal of attention and I used a hand to wipe the drink away from my eyes.
“I think I’ll do as I please,” she informed me, her voice rising just enough to carry.
“You do,” I said slowly. “Do you?” Apparently, the antagonist was my role tonight.
“Yes,” she said, then gave me a dismissive look. “You should go clean up.” Then without another word, she turned her back on me and made her way across the room. Not to Sivan. I didn’t quite see who her target was, but Sivan was tracking her.
King held out a handkerchief and I stared at it a beat before glancing at him.
“What the hell do you want?” I told myself I wouldn’t give him the time of day, but this was ridiculous.
“I thought I’d help you clean that up,” King said with a hint of amusement. “I’m rather glad that they aren’t serving red wine.”
Pulling out my own handkerchief, I wiped my face and set the wine glass on a waiter’s passing tray before I tracked Mayhem again.
“I don’t need your help,” I informed King.
“You don’t want to need my help,” King countered. “There’s a difference. In this case, however, you will get a lot further with it than without.”
Mayhem was speaking to another woman. No, not to just another woman, she was speaking to a couple.
“Excuse me,” I said to King and left him to do whatever the fuck it was he was here to do tonight. Mayhem wanted a few minutes and a scene to get some attention or take attention off of her.
I’d given it to her. There were more than a few eyes on me as it was.
“Mr. Hardigan,” a woman said, pulling my attention as I circled the dance floor in pursuit of Mayhem. I paused, facing the speaker. She was an older woman with the perfect snowy-white hair and laughing blue eyes.
I did not know her.
But she knew my name…
“Ma’am,” I said, politely and shifted to keep Mayhem in my periphery.
“I’m not one to ask a man to dance,” the woman said. “But would you mind taking me around the dance floor once or twice?”
I frowned.
“Oh, don’t look so broken up about it. I saw your young lady throw a drink in your face. Best thing to do to shake it off is to dance like you don’t have a care in the world.” Then she reached up and fixed my tie before she smoothed down the lapels. “You are a big boy. What do you say?”
